Love Once Given
by ATX
Summary: COMPLETED! They say that once love is given it is never forgotten. (There will be MSR. I promise!)
1. A Toast

TITLE: Love Once Given  
AUTHOR: ATX  
RATING: PG  
SPOILERS: none  
SUMMARY: Once love is given it's never truely forgotten.  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything related to "The X-Files" and I'm not gaining any profit from this story.  
FEEDBACK: Appreciated, but not necessary

"I'd like to make a toast to the newlyweds. Josh, I envy you. You get Scully, excuse me, Mrs. Williams all to yourself 24/7. Meanwhile, she is leaving me to work all alone in the basement without any heating or air." Mulder smiled as he saw Scully's eyebrow rise a notch or two at his speech. "Anyways, I want to wish you both the best. And Scully, if you ever need anything, you know where to find me. I'll always be there for you. To the bride and groom." He raised his glass as the crowd repeated his last phrase. Mulder took a gulp of his drink and sat down. Scully smiled at him and then turned to her husband, Josh, and kissed him. Mulder excused himself from the table. 

Margaret Scully saw him leave and excused herself as well. She found him leaning against one the giant stone pillars in front of the church. "That was a lovely toast you gave them Fox."

"Yeah and I meant every word of it. I wouldn't even be here if she wasn't so happy."

"And she appreciates that. You don't realize how much you being here means to her. You are her best friend."

"The best friend who can't give her what she needs no matter how hard I try."

"Dana doesn't think of you like that. She relies on you more than she realizes. You have helped her through some of the hardest times in her life."

"And now she has Josh to help her through."

"For heavens sakes Fox, she's just married, not dead. You will always be special to her and she will always be special to you. You don't just lose friends because you don't see them every day."

"She means so much to me. I just don't want to see her get hurt."

"I know that. She knows that. Speaking of her, here she comes."

"Mulder, Mom, is everything ok?" Scully came out and stood by her mother, shivering a little in the October chill.

"Everything is fine. I just sipped a little too much wine on my toast. Got lightheaded." said Mulder.

"Are you alright?" Scully asked, slipping immediately into doctor mode.

"I should probably go make sure that my grandchildren aren't terrorizing anyone inside." said Maggie, slipping away unnoticed.

"Yeah. We should probably go inside. Don't want you to catch a cold right before your honeymoon."

"Mulder, are you sure you're ok?" Scully could tell something was bugging him.

"To quote a partner I once had, 'I'm fine'."

"Mulder, I will always be your partner. You are my friend, someone I have relied on for the past four years. I have shared things with you that I won't tell anyone else, not even Josh. You could never be replaced. You are stuck with me and our friendship.

"Now what are we doing out here, its freezing. Let's go inside before Josh thinks that you've kidnapped me."

"I'd be lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind." Mulder smiled as Scully punched his arm playfully.

As they returned to the room where the reception was being held, the Lone Gunmen came up and gave their congratulations. After Byers and Langly left, Frohike hugged Scully and said, "Don't be a stranger."

Josh came over and told Scully that Bill wanted to speak with her. As she excused herself, both Mulder and Josh watched her go over to her older brother Bill and give him a hug. He had to leave early from the party and wouldn't be back in the States for six months.

"You know, I actually envy you in a way." said Josh.

"What?"

"You and her. When we first met, we got into discussions about work. I learned more about you than I actually did about what you work on. It was Mulder this and Mulder that. You guys have special connection and I won't get in the way of that."

"Likewise. I've never seen Scully so happy. Around you, she comes to life."

Josh smiled and looked fondly at Scully who was feeding her baby nephew his dinner. She was smiling and laughing at something Bill's wife Tara said. "Why don't we go have a beer sometime before we move to South Carolina. How about next week?"

"That sounds good. Would you give my apologies to Dana, please? I have something I need to do."

"Sure." They shook hands and with one last look at Scully, Mulder left.


	2. The Drowning of Sorrows

Hey all! Thanks for the encouraging reviews. Since I unfortunately have a life outside of the X-Files world ( I can pretty much only write on the weekends. So be patient with me! And yes, I know that Titanic wasn't even on video when this story is supposed to take place, but I'm pleading artistic license. ~ATX~  
  
Chapter 2  
  
" 'I won't get in the way of your special relationship'. 'Why don't we have a beer together'. What a load of crap. What was I thinking?" Mulder thought out loud as he unlocked the door to his apartment and began contemplating on whether or not he could afford to get royally drunk. "I should have said, No thanks, I'd rather rip out your heart with my bare hands, but won't because unfortunately Scully cares about you." After changing out of his suit into a gray shirt and sweatpants he went into the kitchen, ignoring the pile of dirty dishes in the sink. He opened the refrigerator and took out the sole contents, a six-pack of beer. He slammed the door of the refrigerator with his foot as he made his way to the worn leather couch. He pressed the power button on his remote and popped the lid off his bottle of beer, throwing the cap across the room toward the trash can only to have it miss and land on the tattered carpet. He turned his attention back to the TV and saw the opening title for Titanic come on. "Wonderful," he thought, "A movie about doomed lovers. I can add this to my list sorrows to drown tonight." He held up the bottle of beer to the movie in a toast and took a swig of it. The movie was nearing the end when the phone rang.  
  
"Mulder."  
  
"Hey Mulder, you doing anything right now?" It was Frohike.  
  
"Oh, just drowning my sorrows in a couple bottles of beer and the movie Titanic."  
  
"Yeah, well, Byers and Langley and I are going out for cheese steaks. Wanna come? Maybe bring some of those magazines that aren't yours?"  
  
At the mention of Scully's name for his X-rated magazines and tapes Mulder mentally added yet another sorrow to drown. "No, maybe next time."  
  
"Ok. Well, we got that background check on Josh. He's clean. Not so much as a parking ticket against him."  
  
"Thanks Frohike. Just don't tell Scully I asked you to do it."  
  
"No way man. I don't want to face Scully's wrath."  
  
"Bye Frohike."  
  
"See ya Mulder."  
  
Mulder hung up the phone and ran his hands over his face. As he closed his eyes he heard the character Jack say, "Never let go." Rose replied, "I'll never let go. I'll never let go Jack."  
  
With a groan Mulder clicked off the TV and turned on the radio only to hear Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" blaring through the speakers. He shut that off quickly too.  
  
"It's a conspiracy to make me even more miserable," complained Mulder to no one in particular as he opened his last bottle of beer, having downed the other five during the movie. "I'm going to have one bad headache tomorrow. This one's for you Scully." Quickly he chugged the bottle and let it drop to the floor as he fell into a dreamless slumber.  
  
********************* I live in the only zoo where they allow you to feed the animals with a special kind of food: feedback. So don't hesitate to throw it at me, flaming or not! ~ATX~ 


	3. Echoes

Hey all! I didn't really like the way this chapter turned out, so I decided to revise it. It just didn't seem to click with the rest of the story to me. The same basic story line is there, I just changed some of the details. ~ATX~  
  
One Year Later October  
  
Mulder slammed the door of his apartment as he entered and went immediately to his bedroom to throw on some jogging clothes. He slammed the door once again as he exited and brushed through the stairs and foyer so briskly that he almost knocked an old woman off her feet. Without paying attention to anyone or anything except the street before him, Mulder started jogging to the park near his apartment complex. The sound of his feet smacking the pavement reverberated his ears, the only sound that registered.  
  
She was gone. His Scully was truly gone. As if marriage wasn't bad enough, now there was a baby, a boy named Ethan Alexander. It seemed so final now. There had always been the small flame of hope that burned inside him that thought that maybe she would leave Josh and come back, but now... Included in the letter was an invitation to come for Christmas. He wouldn't go. He wouldn't want to intrude on baby's first Christmas. As if he wasn't stressed enough, he had a green agent as his new partner, the third in ten months, who never seemed to do anything right.  
  
He barely noticed the rain that now thumped along with him on the tarmac path. Putting on a burst of speed, he charged full force against the wind that blew the raindrops into his bloodshot eyes and wet his hair so that it plastered against his forehead. The rain fell harder and faster now, stinging a little as the large drops hit his clammy skin. One of his shoelaces came untied and he tripped over it, landing in the muddy grass next to the track. Instead of getting up, Mulder simply lay there, looking up to the sky, watching the rain until he had to close his eyes to keep the rain out. His thought became rapid, streaming by him so fast he could barely keep up with them. There were so many things running through his head he almost didn't hear the voice, but it became louder until it rose above everything else.  
  
"Run Dana! Get out of here!"  
  
Mulder's eyes snapped open and he sat up, looking around for the source of the cry.  
  
"NO! Josh! Josh!"  
  
He turned his head the other direction. No one was around. The only sounds were from the cars passing by and the steady beat of the rain. He got up and rubbed the water out of his eyes.  
  
"We gather here to commit the body of Josh Williams to the earth..."  
  
Mulder began jogging home, looking all around, trying in vain to discover where the voices were coming from.  
  
"He won't know his father..."  
  
He jogged a little faster.  
  
"Why?"  
  
The volume of the voice was increasing.  
  
"Why?"  
  
Mulder arrived at his building  
  
"WHY?!"  
  
The voice became deafening. Mulder ran up the stairs and down the hall.  
  
"NO!"  
  
He opened the door to his apartment.  
  
Silence.  
  
******************* I like this version better, but let me know what you think if you read the original. Chapter four is almost done. ~ATX~ 


	4. Storms That Rage Around Us

December 24  
  
11:30 am  
  
In a shadow filled apartment in Arlington a man lay on the couch, staring up at the ceiling as if it held the key to discovering the mysteries of life. He didn't sleep the night before; he couldn't, not until the voice stopped. It resounded softly in his head, a gently spoken whisper that could not be drowned out.  
  
"December 25. Greenville, SC. 4273 Birch Lane. 0239."  
  
"December 25. Greenville, SC. 4273 Birch Lane. 0239."  
  
"What does it mean?" Mulder shouted at the ceiling. After the incident in the park the voice hadn't returned until about a month ago. Now it had started the endless cycle as the date it mentioned drew nearer. It didn't make sense. He understood that something was going to happen on Christmas Day in Greenville at 2:39 in the morning, but what did that have to do with him? He didn't even know anyone who lived there. What did the voice expect him to do?  
  
Frustrated with his lack of knowledge and sleep, he got up and went to scrounge around in the kitchen for something to eat. He found some bread in the breadbox, "Imagine that," he thought, and threw it in the toaster setting the toasting level to black. He would have to stand watch over it because the spring was broken, it wouldn't pop up again when it was done. While he was waiting for his breakfast to finish, he idly flipped through the mail from last week that he had simply chucked onto the kitchen table without another thought. He stopped when he saw familiar handwriting on a red envelope addressed to him. Mulder turned over the envelope and opened it. Inside was a green and red patterned Christmas card with Yuletide Greetings written on the cover in fancy gold script. He opened it up and immediately recognized Scully's handwriting.  
  
The card read:  
  
Merry Christmas Mulder! We're sorry you said you couldn't make it down here for Christmas. Really, you would have been a welcome addition. Ethan is growing quickly and all I want for Christmas is a good night's sleep. Josh says that if you won't come down for Christmas, you have to come New Years, so consider this your formal invitation. Oh, and we're moving next week, remember? I'll email the new address to you. I can't remember what the street name was. Some kind of tree... anyway, hope to see you soon!  
  
All our love,  
  
Dana, Josh, and baby Ethan  
  
"December 25. Greenville, South Carolina. 4273 Birch Lane. 0239."  
  
The voice repeated in his head, louder, but still no more than a whisper. Mulder put down the card slowly, like he was in a trance. Then he walked over to his laptop and jabbed the power button with such force that he was afraid he had broken it. He paced in front of it, occasionally glancing out the window at the dark storm clouds as it booted up and when it was finally done pounced on it. Quickly he went to the internet and logged into this email account. Each second that passed seemed to take years. When the page finally came up he scanned the long list of items that were in his inbox, but saw none from Scully. Then his eyes drifted up to a red box in the right upper hand corner that read WARNING: OVERFLOW OF MESSAGES. Mulder let out a cry of frustration and a few curse words as he typed in the address to another website.  
  
"Yellowpages.com, ok, find people, Josh Williams, Greenville, South Carolina." He spoke out loud as he brusquely typed in the information. He stabbed the enter key and said, "Make me a liar."  
  
As the information was displayed, the voice resounded in his head as he read the words on the screen with a sinking heart.  
  
Josh and Dana Williams  
  
4273 Birch Lane  
  
Greenville, SC 40258  
  
555-6396  
  
"She will die if you stay."  
  
Mulder jumped as a new phrase echoed through his head.  
  
"December 25. 4273 Birch Lane. Greenville, South Carolina. 0239."  
  
He picked up the phone and dialed the number on the screen. "The number you have dialed has been temporarily disconnected. Please hang up and try again." Mulder slammed down the phone so hard it bounced out of the cradle and onto the floor, the dial tone humming indignantly.  
  
"She will die if you stay. December 25. 4273 Birch Lane. Greenville, South Carolina. 0239."  
  
"I get it already! Stop repeating!" Mulder shouted at the walls of his apartment. He picked receiver off the floor and dropped it back in the cradle. He ran his hands through his hair and went back to his laptop. He began searching for the airline that had the soonest flight out to Greenville. There was one available seat on the 4:30pm flight out that would arrive in plenty of time to... something. He wasn't sure exactly what he would do when he got there.  
  
"She will die if you stay."  
  
Mulder booked the flight, now accustomed to ignoring the repetitious phrases. He sighed and sat back in his chair. Then he paused. Was that smoke?  
  
"Shoot." Mulder ran into the kitchen and unplugged the smoking toaster. His smoke alarm went off and Mulder had to go turn it off. When he got back he turned the toaster upside down and watched as a stiff, rectangular black chunk fell out and landed on the counter. Wrinkling his nose at the smell, he glanced at the clock and wondered what he would do for the next couple of hours.  
  
::Four ½ Hours Later::  
  
"What do you mean all flights out and in have been cancelled?" Mulder was glowering at the young man behind the desk who peered at him unperturbed through thick glasses.  
  
"I'm sorry sir, but in case you hadn't noticed there's a giant winter storm going on right now. It's expected to last all night."  
  
Mulder glared at him a bit more before stalking off to sit in an uncomfortable black chair. The fluorescent lights beat down on him as he looked around the bustling airport. It was always busy Christmas Eve, people trying to get home to their loved ones in time to open presents in the morning or in time to go to an evening church service with the whole family under one roof at least this one time. Now the storm was making that impossible for them as well as Mulder. People's lives depended on his getting to South Carolina. He glanced outside at the swirling snow hurtling through stormy dark gray skies and took out his cell phone.  
  
"Hey Gunmen, it's me. Turn off the recording. Can you guys give me a lift? Where? To South Carolina. Yeah, I- Hello? Hello?" Mulder pulled the phone away from his ear as static interrupted his call. He looked up at the ceiling and said, "You know, if you want me to be in South Carolina in time, and I assume that's what you wanted due to the freaky voices in the head, you sure aren't making this easy." He was attracting some strange looks from other people, but simply ignored them.  
  
"She will die if you stay."  
  
"She will die if you stay."  
  
"You could die if you stay."  
  
Mulder cleared all emotion and expression from his face and walked determinedly down the concourse, suppressing the chill that ran up his spine with the latest message. When he made it down to the parking garage he got into his car and began driving down the road to South Carolina.  
  
"She will die if you stay."  
  
"December 25."  
  
"Greenville, South Carolina."  
  
"0239."  
  
"You could die if you stay."  
  
*********** Hey all! Finally got some writing done. Yeah! I know Scully hasn't been in the story much, but she will be in the next chapter. Let me know what ya think. Even the flames are useful, especially for making 'smores! ~ATX~ 


	5. Christmas Eve part 1

Hey all! Sorry this took so long! I'm going to BURN my geometry book! Grrr. Anyway, this is only part 1 of this chapter. The other part should be up by Saturday. If I'm lucky. Enjoy!  
  
::December 24- Around 6pm::  
  
It was snowing softly outside the old Tudor house on Birch Lane. The white paint was peeling in some places and the yard needed some work, but all in all it wasn't that bad. The inside was fixed up nicely, like someone had put a lot of time and thought into where everything would go and how the light would play on various parts of the rooms. In the living room the shag carpet was a soft blue color and had various baby care items and playthings scattered on top of it. In one corner of the room there was a bookcase full of everything from medical journals to Latin textbooks to baby care books. In the corner diagonal from the bookcase stood a tall evergreen Christmas tree that gave the room a faint pine scent. A few needles were scattered on the floor underneath the tree on top of the modest collection of presents. Instead of lights on the tree, small candles adorned the branches, their soft light creating a warm atmosphere in the room. Across from it was an old beige couch that had seen many years before its time with its owners. Presently there was a figure sleeping on it, stretched out on her side with a soft, pink crocheted blanket covering her that only accenting the auburn hair that adorned her head.  
  
Dana Williams sighed happily in her sleep, glad to get it when she could, and shifted slightly, drawing the blanket closer around her. Josh watched her from the doorway and reluctantly went over to his wife and shook her shoulder gently.  
  
"Dana? Honey, Ethan's hungry."  
  
"Hmm?" She smiled with her eyes still closed as Josh leaned down and placed little kisses on her cheek and neck.  
  
"I said that Ethan's hungry. Any minute now he's going to start wailing and-"  
  
"Wahhhhh! Wahhhhh!"  
  
Dana opened her eyes one at a time. She saw her husband smiling apologetically at her from his squatting position on the floor. His figure was outlined with a gentle glow from the candles. He held out a hand to help her up from the couch, the blanket landing in a puddle on the floor.  
  
"Wahhhhh!"  
  
Dana and Josh started up the rickety old stairs and as they passed the smoke detector Dana remarked that they needed to replace the batteries in it. Josh agreed and said he'd go out for batteries later. When Dana got settled feeding Ethan who was unusually fussy that night, Josh went down the hall to get one of Dana's presents that he'd just gotten wrapped. He snuck past Ethan's room and placed the present underneath the tree. Then he stepped back to survey the room. His eyes drifted to a picture of the day Ethan was born that was sitting the mantle above the fireplace. He walked over and took the picture into his hands, running his fingers softly over the glass that protected the thin photo. Dana was sitting a hospital bed, hair mussed and a tired expression on her face, but her eyes held such joy as she looked down at a crying baby Ethan. He was sitting on the bed next to her with his arm around her also looking down on his new son. He smiled fondly at the memories the picture stirred up and placed it back in its rightful place.  
  
Dana came downstairs with Ethan whose face was red from screaming. "I don't know what's wrong with him. I fed him, changed his diaper, and its too early for him to be teething. Maybe he's got colic."  
  
"I don't know, but maybe we should take his temperature anyway," said Josh as he took Ethan from Dana's arms. She nodded and went to get the baby thermometer. After they had deduced that he had no fever, Josh said, "Maybe it is colic."  
  
"Maybe." She looked over at the window.  
  
"What is it?" asked Josh tried to calm Ethan down. His cries weren't as loud now and he was getting tired despite just waking up from a nap.  
  
"I just wish Mulder could've come. I haven't seen him in so long and we haven't been able to really talk since the wedding. I miss him. I guess I'm just hoping he'll change his mind and come anyway."  
  
A brief wave of jealousy flashed on Josh's face when Dana wasn't looking but he quickly wiped it away. Dana was his. She simply missed someone who was a big part of her life before him. Heck, they had to trust each other with their lives, why shouldn't see miss him and think of him at Christmas?  
  
He walked over to where Dana now stood, looking out the window through the snowfall for any sign that he would be coming. "Dana, why don't you call him?" He shifted Ethan, who was now sleeping once more, and brought Dana the cordless phone. She smiled gratefully and dialed Mulder's home number. When she got his answering machine, she left a message saying Merry Christmas and told him she would try his cell phone. When she couldn't get through there either, she turned to Josh. "Well, I hope that wherever he is he's having a good time," Dana said little dejectedly.  
  
::Henderson, North Carolina- I-85 - 9:30pm::  
  
"Stupid, stupid." Mulder stood at a gas pump and waited for the gas to stop pumping. "I should have gotten gas before I left so I wouldn't be standing here in the cold freezing my @ss off." There was a major traffic jam from an accident that had blocked traffic up for three miles just outside of DC, causing him to lose two hours. Silently he willed the gas to hurry up and a few seconds later it stopped. "Thank you." He quickly went inside to pay for the gas and ran back out to the car. The first time he tried to start it, the car didn't do anything.  
  
"NO! I refuse to get stuck here!" he thought vehemently as he tried once more. This time the car started and as he pulled out of the gas station his tires squealed when he fishtailed onto the street. "Hold on Scully, only four more hours. If I'm lucky." He got back onto the interstate moving as fast as he could without hydroplaning on the icy road. He took out his phone and tried to dial Dana's number, but merely got static. Throwing it to the floor of the car, he concentrated on the road. There wasn't a lot of traffic, but the going was slow. Nervously he glanced at the clock and mentally figured that he would get to Greenville in four hours, but he had to go to the other side to get to the house, adding another hour. Fervently he hoped that ten minutes would be enough time to do whatever he was going to do.  
  
********This concludes part one. Read and review people! The more reviews I get the inspired I become! Thanx all! ~ATX~ 


	6. Christmas Eve part 2

Thanks to all who have reviewed so far! It means a lot! ~ATX~  
  
::Greenville, South Carolina- 1:30am::  
  
Dana and Josh were snuggled up in bed, sleeping soundly for the moment. An old comforter and afghan covered them and Christmas music played softly on the radio on the nightstand, the only sound in the house. Ethan stirred in the baby bassinet next to the bed and Dana woke up when he squeaked. Sleepily she lifted her head and waited. He started whimpering and Dana wriggled out of Josh's grip. When she picked him up he felt warm to her.  
  
"What's wrong baby?" Josh called out sleepily from the bed.  
  
"Ethan feels warm. I'm going to go take his temperature again."  
  
"All right." Josh rolled out of bed and followed her out of the room.  
  
"You don't have to follow me, Josh. I'm a big girl; I can do it by myself," she protested lightly.  
  
"I know. I just wanted an excuse to see if Santa came yet downstairs."  
  
"Oh, you!" Dana swatted his arm and pulled him through the living room so fast he couldn't see the tree or anything underneath. "Now help me find the thermometer." Together they searched, but they couldn't find it anywhere in the kitchen or the downstairs bathroom. Puzzled, they turned to the living room. The tree looked dark and foreboding without the candles lit. Josh turned on a lamp and found the object of their pursuit on the mantle of the fireplace. He took it down and walked back upstairs with Dana. Neither one noticed the small candle on the tree, near the back, that was still lit.  
  
When the thermometer beeped, Dana took it and read, "101.5. That's not to bad, but I want to get a fever reducer in him so it doesn't get any higher." Josh nodded and went into the bathroom to look for some suspension Tylenol. He came back with an empty box.  
  
"Remember when the Johnson's kid had a fever? We gave it to them."  
  
Ethan moved from whimpering to crying. Dana looked at Josh. "I'll just have to go out and get some at a drugstore that's open tonight."  
  
"No, I'll go. He's probably going to be hungry in a little while anyway and if you're not back, well I can't really do anything about that." Josh smiled at Dana and she smiled back. "I'll be back soon."  
  
He walked out of the room and started down the stairs. Dana walked out and stood at the top of the stairs. "Josh, aren't you forgetting something?"  
  
"What?" He looked down at his apparel. He was wearing white flannel pants with little red Santa Clauses printed on them and a white undershirt. "Oh. Maybe I should put on some real clothes."  
  
Dana raised her eyebrow and smiled. "No, I think you should go driving all over town in your pajamas." She started cooing and making comforting noises at Ethan as she walked back to the bedroom. Josh followed her and began pulling on a pair of jeans as she sat in the old rocking chair in the corner and began rocking Ethan back to sleep, hopefully.  
  
"I'll be back as soon as I can," Josh said as he kissed Dana and Ethan.  
  
"I love you," called Dana as she watched him leave.  
  
"Love you too."  
  
In his hurry to get the medicine, Josh didn't notice the smoke rising from behind the tree on his way out.  
  
::One Hour Later::  
  
As Josh pulled the car onto Birch Lane he glanced at the clock. It read 2:35 AM. "Jeez, it's been an hour. I hope Ethan's doing better," he thought as he drove down the street. He pulled into the driveway and got out of the car, shivering in the cold. "The air smells like smoke. Who would be burning leaves at this hour?" he wondered as he walked up to the door. He unlocked it and was nearly pushed back as a wave of heat shot out at him. The entire downstairs floor was alive with flames.  
  
"Dana! Dana!" he yelled.  
  
Upstairs, Dana was asleep in bed, the smoke working its deadly sleeping charm on her and Ethan.  
  
"Dana!" Josh steeled himself and ran across the foyer and around the corner to the stairs where the flames were already making their way up. The fire licked at his legs and one of his pant legs caught fire, but he ignored it. His only thought was to get Dana and Ethan out of the house. "Stupid smoke detector. Why didn't I get batteries sooner?" The fire crawled up his leg and he was forced to stop and beat it down, all the while calling out Dana's name.  
  
Slowly, Dana stirred and opened her eyes. They stung and when she sat up she felt dizzy. It was then she noticed the smoke filling the room. She gasped and coughed when the smoke filled her lungs. Then she heard Josh calling out her name.  
  
"Josh!" She scrambled out of bed and grabbed Ethan, who was now awake and crying, dropping to the floor and crawling to the door. She placed the back of her hand against the door. It was warm. Suddenly there was a loud thud from the hall. "Josh? Josh? Josh!"  
  
No response.  
  
::Birch Lane - 2:36 AM::  
  
"Come on, where is it?" Mulder drove down the street, struggling to see the house numbers in the dark. Suddenly he saw a flash of light. The house at the end of the street had flames coming out of the roof and smoke pouring out the front door. "No, no," he whispered.  
  
::Inside the house::  
  
Dana grabbed two handkerchiefs from the bathroom and placed one over Ethan's nose and mouth and one over her own. She braced herself and opened the door. What she saw, she would never forget. Josh was lying on the floor; face down with a pile of burning rubble on his back. She looked up and saw that the ceiling had collapsed and the fire had gotten into the attic. "Josh?" The fire was creeping closer to where she stood. He stirred underneath the debris and lifted his head up weakly.  
  
"Run Dana. Get out of here!"  
  
"Josh, no!" More of the ceiling caved in.  
  
"Scully! Scully!" Dana looked up at the sound of Mulder's voice. The fire was getting closer and closer to where Josh was. Soon it would be right on top of him. Mulder raced up the flaming stairs with his arms up over his head.  
  
"Mulder," called out Josh weakly. "Get Dana out of here."  
  
"Scully, get out of here!" Mulder closed his eyes briefly and ran through the fiery wall that was advancing toward Josh. He began pulling the heavy debris off Josh, but there wasn't enough time to get all of it off. "Scully, I said get out. Go, now, before it's too late!"  
  
"No, I won't leave you Josh." She whispered tearfully as she knelt down before him and grasped his sooty hand.  
  
"You never will." He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it softly. "Go. Even if Mulder gets me out, I think my leg is broken. I wouldn't be able get out in time."  
  
"Scully, if you're going to go, it's going to have to be now." Mulder skirted around the huge pile until he was standing next to Dana.  
  
"Mulder, get her out of here," Josh said. Ethan screamed in fright and confusion, which seemed to wake Dana up. She put her hand against Josh's cheek once more and whispered, "I love you."  
  
"Love you too baby."  
  
"Come on!" Mulder pulled Dana down the hall and down the stairs, swatting at the flames that threatened to overwhelm them. They stumbled outside, gasping in the fresh air. Ethan's cries mixed with the sound of sirens wailing in the distance. Dana looked back at the house, realizing what she had done.  
  
"NO! Josh! Josh!" She tried to run back into the house, but Mulder grabbed her and pulled her close, holding her tightly. "Let me go!" Her protests grew feeble. She buried her head into Mulder's chest and started sobbing. All around them flashing red lights and sirens pierced the night sky. Mulder's watch alarm beeped and he glanced down at it. 2:39 turned to 2:40. Mulder looked up at the sky as tears ran down his face. No one deserves this on Christmas, he thought.  
  
*******That's it for this chapter. This was a hard one to write. I had to put Josh and Scully in what I hope seemed like a loving relationship (Which was torture. I'm a diehard shipper!) and then kill him off. Anyway... do ya'll think I should group part 1 and 2 together or leave them separate? There's still one or two more chapters to go, so stick around! ~ATX~ 


	7. Ms Dana's Angel and a Fever

The neighbors next door came out when they heard the sirens and saw the trio standing in the front yard shivering in the snow. A little boy poked his head around his father and mother's legs. When he saw them, he ran back upstairs and grabbed his favorite blankie. He ran downstairs and before his parents could stop them, he dashed outside and trotted to where Mulder, Dana, and Ethan were. He tugged on Mulder's pants and Mulder looked down at him. Mulder whispered something to Dana and she looked down as well. The little boy crooked his finger at them and they knelt down to his level, quickly wiping away tears.  
  
"What is it Bobby?" she asked.  
  
"This is for you and Ethan and your angel," he said firmly. He held out a tattered blue blanket and Dana took it in the hand that wasn't holding Ethan and looked at it with fresh tears in her eyes.  
  
"Bobby, this is so sweet of you, but I, we couldn't take your favorite blanket." She handed it back to him.  
  
"But I want you to. It's Christmas and you're cold," he said, puzzled as to why they were refusing his gift.  
  
"You look cold too, buddy," said Mulder. He poked Bobby in the chest. "The best gift you could give us right now is to wrap that blanket around you, go back inside, get warm, and fall back asleep so Santa will come." Bobby was still puzzled, but if Ms. Dana's angel said he should go back inside, he would. Mulder took the blanket and wrapped it around the shivering boy. Then he walked him back to his door.  
  
"We're so sorry sir. He ran out before we could catch him," apologized his mother.  
  
"It's alright. Merry Christmas Bobby," said Mulder as he turned to leave.  
  
"Merry Christmas Ms. Dana's Angel!" Mulder turned around and smiled as once more Bobby ran out and tugged on his pant leg for him to bend down. When he obliged, the little boy whispered, "Make Ms. Dana feel better, please."  
  
"I'll do my best. Now get back inside squirt," he said, pushing him gently inside. As he walked back to Dana and Ethan he began coughing and once he had to stop and bend over with his hands on his knees.  
  
"Mulder?" He looked up and saw Dana standing next to him, her face looking extremely pale in the streetlight. "Would you please hold Ethan for a second?" she asked calmly. Mulder nodded his head and watched as she walked over to the bushes near the street and proceeded to empty the contents of her stomach into the foliage.  
  
The ambulance, fire trucks, and police arrived to a screeching halt and the EMTs rushed over to Dana and Mulder. Before he knew it he was sitting in the back of the ambulance with Dana and Ethan, holding an oxygen mask over his face. When they arrived at the hospital all three of them were treated for smoke inhalation and Ethan was rushed into a separate room to be treated for his fever.  
  
Dana was hovering outside the door, pacing up and down while moving her eyes from the window to the clock periodically. Mulder walked up behind her limping a little, he had twisted his ankle on his way out of the house. "Scully?"  
  
She whirled around and looked at him with anger in her eyes. "My name is not Scully, it's Dana," she yelled at him. Mulder didn't flinch; he merely looked at her with sadness in his eyes. Dana sighed and covered her face with her hands. "I'm sorry Mulder."  
  
"How's Ethan?" he asked, forgiving her for her outburst.  
  
"They're trying to bring down his fever, but they're having some trouble because it's going up and being out in the cold without a coat on wasn't good for him." She looked back at the window, trying to see through the closed blinds. She turned back to Mulder. "I shouldn't have had Josh go get the medicine, I should have brought Ethan here when I saw how much his temperature had risen. Then we would have been out of the house and Josh would..." Her eyes started to fill with tears again. "Mulder," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Ethan's fever is dangerously high because he's so young. I can't lose him too." Forceful sobs broke through her calm façade. Mulder pulled her into his arms again for the second time that night. She didn't put her arms around him or fall into his embrace, she simply let him hold her as she fought to control the tears rapidly running down her face.  
  
"It's ok Scu- Dana. Let it out." She cried harder and put her hands over her face once more, still in his embrace. The doctor came out of the room and briefly Ethan's cries could be heard in the hall. Dana turned towards him and said, almost fearfully, "How is he?"  
  
-------------------Dum, dum, dum. This is where I leave you for now. Aren't I mean? ::grins evilly:: Read and Review to let me know if I'm on the right track! ~ATX~ 


	8. Hospitals and Hotels

"How is he?" she asked again.  
  
The doctor looked at her and saw her hand fumbling for Mulder's. "I'm afraid we're not sure what's wrong. Did he have a cough before inhaling all that smoke?"  
  
"Well, he was coughing a little a few days ago. Why?"  
  
"He has the symptoms of pneumonia, but he could also have meningitis."  
  
"Meningitis? Oh God," she choked out. Mulder stood a little closer to her and cautiously put a comforting arm around her shoulders.  
  
"Now, we do have very effective treatments for both, but if it is pneumonia the smoke inhalation will complicate things. It's good that we caught this when we did. When they are so young it is imperative to treat them as soon as possible."  
  
"When will you know for sure?" asked Dana, drawing herself up a little taller.  
  
'That's Scully,' thought Mulder. 'Never let them know it hurts.'  
  
"The test results should be back tomorrow. For now we're giving him antibiotics and a fever reducer. We're keeping him as comfortable as possible. The best thing you can do now is get some sleep. The hotel next door has 24-hour check in so you can rest there. We'll call you if anything happens," said the doctor kindly.  
  
Dana pressed her lips together and nodded. "Can I see him?"  
  
"For a few minutes. We need to get him to the ICU as soon as possible." He stepped aside and let Dana through, but when Mulder tried to come in he said, "I'm sorry sir, family only." Mulder looked over the doctor's shoulder at Dana who was talking to one of the doctors who came over to the window and opened the blinds so he could at least see Ethan. Dana threw a small smile over her shoulder at Mulder who returned it and went over to the window to look inside.  
  
"Hey little guy," Dana said tenderly as she stood over Ethan and ran her hand over his soft blond hair. His cries died down into soft whimpers as he latched onto her slender finger. "I know you don't feel good, but you're gonna get better, ok?" She sniffled. "You gotta fight this; for me, for Daddy, all right? Oh, I love you sweetie." She leaned over to place a gentle kiss on his forehead and defiantly wiped away a stray tear. "I'll be back in a few hours. You get better, ok? I love you so much." She kissed him once more and turned to the window to see Mulder watching them with a sad expression on his face and one hand pressed against the window. She spoke to one of the doctors briefly before walking out of the room, glancing back at her precious baby boy one last time before coming to stand by Mulder.  
  
"You ready to go?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah. Let's go." They left the hospital walking, or in Mulder's case limping slightly, side-by-side, each lost in their own thoughts.  
  
**********************I know it's kinda short, but I wanted to get this chapter done at least before I started working on my other story. As always, read and review please! You all have been great! ~ATX~ 


	9. Like Old Times

The streetlight shone in through the large window beside the two twin beds and cast a faint glow across the two figures in the hotel room. It was a simple room, all the other rooms were booked due to the holiday rush, but it had a mini refrigerator and sink as well and a bathroom with a shower. The beds were separated by a nightstand with a phone and a clock radio sitting on top, blazing its red digital numbers brightly. Two lamps were bolted to the walls above it and cast eerie shadows on the wall. An old couch that had seen better days sat against the wall opposite the bed between the sink/refrigerator counter and the bathroom door.  
  
Mulder lay in bed on his side, underneath the covers despite still wearing his sweatshirt and jeans. His back was to the window and his eyes were open, silently watching the motionless figure in the other bed. He knew she was awake, just as she knew he was too. Mulder rolled over onto his back and tried not to think about how much like old times this was, sharing a hotel room because there was only one room available. There was a movement in the other bed and he turned his head, waiting to see what she was doing, but she merely drew the covers closer around her. Mulder returned to his staring contest with the ceiling.  
  
The shrill sound of a cell phone ripped through the air. Mulder jumped and reached to the floor to dig though his coat pockets for the source of the noise. He grabbed his phone and walked to the bathroom, closing the door almost all the way in case Scully actually was sleeping.  
  
"Mulder."  
  
"Mulder, thank God. We thought you were dead."  
  
"Byers? What are you talking about?" Mulder plugged the ear that didn't have the phone against it so he could hear the faint signal better.  
  
"When our call was cut off yesterday we tried to call your house and were cut off in mid ring. We couldn't get over you your place until just now. There are police, ambulances, and a couple fire trucks at your apartment. It turns out that a couple trees near your apartment were knocked over in the storm and crashed into your building. The worst damage was on your side of the building. You, uh, you don't have a living room or kitchen anymore. But you have a new panoramic view from where your couch used to be. We've been trying to reach you all night and the signal just got through." Byers said apologetically. Mulder stood there in shock.  
  
"You could die if you stay." The haunting words floated back to him.  
  
"Mulder, where are you?"  
  
Byers' words snapped Mulder back into reality. He looked through the crack in the door and saw that Scully had rolled over and was staring out the window listlessly. He leaned against the sink and talked a little softer. "I'm in South Carolina, in a hotel with Scully."  
  
"Where're Josh and Ethan?"  
  
"Josh is...Josh is dead. There was a fire in their house a couple hours ago. The ceiling caved in on him and I had to practically drag Scully out of the house. I honestly think she would have stayed in there with him."  
  
"She will die if you stay," whispered the voice.  
  
"Oh my gosh."  
  
"Ethan is in the hospital. They think he may have pneumonia or possibly meningitis." Mulder closed his eyes and rolled his head between his shoulders, trying to work some of the kinks out.  
  
"Do you need us to come down there?"  
  
"No," he said, glancing back into the room at Scully. "No, I think she can only take so many things at once. More people will complicate things."  
  
"All right. Is there anything we can do from here?" Byers asked.  
  
"Yeah, contact Scully and Josh's family and let them know what happened, but tell them not to come down for a day or two. I guess I'll just stay here for now, seeing as I no longer have an apartment."  
  
"Ok. Tell Scully our prayers are with her and Ethan."  
  
"I will. Thanks Byers."  
  
"Anytime Mulder." The line went dead and Mulder sighed and dropped his phone onto the counter. He looked in the mirror into his dark rimmed eyes, begging for sleep that wouldn't come and a day's growth of beard. Turning on the cold water, he splashed himself in the face before returning to the main room and plopping down on his bed, looking up at the ceiling again.  
  
In the other bed Dana looked at him lying there and said, "You don't have to stay here Mulder. You can go home."  
  
Mulder kept staring at the ceiling. "Well, I can't exactly do that. And even if I could I wouldn't, not until I knew you and Ethan were ok."  
  
She propped herself up on her elbow and looked at him with her eyebrows drawn together in confusion. "What?"  
  
"My apartment is currently inhabited by a couple trees." He turned his head and saw her staring at him. "There was a winter storm up in D.C. and I, or rather my apartment had the unfortunate pleasure of being one of the victims of it."  
  
Before Dana could say anything the phone on the nightstand rang. She jumped and picked it up swiftly.  
  
"Hello? Yes this is she. What's wrong with him?" Her hands were griping it so hard her knuckles turned white. "Oh my gosh," she breathed.  
  
******** I LIVE! School has been a real #*%&$ and I haven't had much time to write. :( So I leave you with this, partially because I'm having a slight case of writer's block. ::gasp, shudder:: Don't worry I'll finish it. Promise. :) 


	10. I've Missed You

Hey! Thanks for reviewing peoples! Sorry its been so long! ~ATX~  
  
::6:20am::  
  
Dana was walking quickly, nearly running, down the hall in the hotel to the elevator while Mulder stood by the door to the room trying to get his jacket on. "Dana! Dana wait!" he called. When she didn't listen, he yelled, "SCULLY!" She stopped suddenly and stood still before whirling around to face him  
  
"Stop calling me that! My name is Dana Williams, I have a three month old son who has pneumonia and is in the hospital and I am this close to dismembering the next person who calls me 'Scully'. I've had a long night, no sleep, and my life is... it's..."  
  
"Falling apart?" Mulder finished gently.  
  
"I was going to say-" She stopped as a family with young children passed, the kids in their parent's arms, sleeping. She dropped her voice to a harsh whisper. "I was going to say something else, but yes." Dana let out a big breath. "It is." She turned around and punched the elevator button. The doors opened and she walked in. Mulder grabbed her arm.  
  
"Dana, I'm sorry. May I at least buy you a sweatshirt in the gift shop so you don't freeze to death?"  
  
She looked down and realized she was shivering in her soot-stained pajamas. "Ok."  
  
He let go of her arm and the rest of the elevator ride to the first floor was in silence.  
  
::The hospital, 3rd floor.::  
  
::6:50 am::  
  
Dana walked down the hallway slowly, mulling over what the doctors had just told her. She came to the waiting room and smiled a little as she saw Mulder spread out over one of couches fast asleep, his jacket underneath his head for a pillow. "  
  
"He must have fallen asleep while waiting," she thought. Gently she touched his arm and whispered, "Mulder."  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"Mulder, wake up."  
  
Blearily he opened his eyes and saw Dana standing over him. He tried to focus on her and went a little cross-eyed in the attempt as he sat up. "How's Ethan?" Closing his eyes he shook his head, trying to clear some of the cobwebs from his mind.  
  
"He's officially got bacterial pneumonia, but thankfully they were able to bring down his fever early enough and get some antibiotics into him. He's doing better, but he could still be in here for a week or so." Mulder made room for her to sit down and she did, leaning forward so that her elbows were resting on the tops of her knees.  
  
"What are you going to do until then?" he asked quietly.  
  
"I don't know. Look for somewhere else to live, see what survived the fire, I've got to arranged for Josh's funeral," she said, her voice sounding strangled on the last part. "I just don't know." Despite her wishes she yawned. She leaned back against the back of the sofa and closed her eyes. "I don't know what to do Mulder." Dana leaned in towards him and laid her head on his shoulder. She yawned again.  
  
"For right now you can get some sleep," he whispered tenderly into her hair. She nodded her head mutely. "Do you want me to see if they've got an open room with a bed?"  
  
"No. I'm fine right here." She drew her knees up underneath her and leaned more into his side and he put his arm around her protectively. He felt tears seeping though his shirt and heard her whisper, "I've missed you Mulder," before she nodded off.  
  
"Me too." He placed a gentle kiss in her hair and then laid his own head back against the wall, closing his eyes and surrendering to sleep.  
  
************I know, I know. It's been forever since I updated last and this isn't very much, but be patient with me. I know that four chapters ago I said there would only be a few more. I lied. I don't know how many more chapters there will be, I'm just gonna write until its done. Please read and review! ~ATX~ 


	11. Key?

"Code blue, I repeat code blue in Room 322. Dr. Gregory report to Room 322 stat."  
  
Slowly Mulder opened his eyes as a stream of people in lab coats ran down the hall past the waiting room. He painfully rolled his neck around trying to get all the kinks out. "Mental note to self: never sleep sitting up on a couch," he thought. Looking down he saw that someone had come over and covered Scully, "Dana," he corrected, and himself with a couple of thin white hospital blankets. He gently lifted his arm off of Scully and looked at his watch. He shook his head in disbelief as he read the digital screen. 2:38pm flashed at him. As the seconds dragged on he saw the numbers flip -  
  
"Josh!"  
  
- to 2:39.  
  
Dana lifted her head up sharply, breathing hard, her eyes open wide searching futilely for him.  
  
"Hey," Mulder said, touching her shoulder lightly. She jerked around and looked into Mulder's worried hazel eyes. Her breathing slowed and became steadier as she grew more aware of her surroundings. Slowly she sat up and rubbed the back of her neck.  
  
"I just had a bad dream."  
  
"You want to talk about it?" he asked gently.  
  
"No. That's alright. I'm going to go check on Ethan." Without another word she walked down the hallway.  
  
Mulder sighed and stood up, raising his arms above his head and stretching out his weary muscles. Exhaling loudly he walked across the room to a water fountain and winced as he heard several popping noises when he bent down to reach the spout.  
  
"Is there a Fox Mulder or a Dana Williams here?"  
  
Mulder straightened up and wiped his mouth, saying, "I'm Fox Mulder." Turning around he saw the nurse behind the desk holding a telephone receiver out to him.  
  
"You've got a phone call."  
  
Puzzled as to who would be calling him he took it and nodded his thanks to the nurse who resumed her paperwork. "Mulder. Yes. No sir. Alright. Ok, we'll be down there as soon as possible. Thank you. Bye."  
  
Dana had walked up while he was on the phone and now stood beside him, arms crossed in front of her. The sweatshirt he had bought her was a couple sizes too big and the sleeves covered her small hands, Mulder noticed. "Mulder, what was that about?"  
  
"The uh, fire chief called to say that they a safe or something in the wall."  
  
"Yes, that was where Josh and I put our wills and a few other personal items," she said, not looking him in the eye.  
  
"How's Ethan doing?"  
  
"He's going to be ok," Dana said, nodding her head as if to reassure herself. "They said he'd have to be in here for about a week or two if he keeps getting better." She ended with a sniffle and ran her sleeve across her nose like she did when she was younger instead of asking for a tissue. "So uh, how are we going to get back to the house? Unless your car somehow mysteriously appeared while we were sleeping we don't have any way to get back." Dana gave a tiny smile, perceptible only to Mulder. He gave a little crooked smile, glad that her sense of humor was back at least.  
  
"Excuse me. I couldn't help but overhear your conversation and I think I can help you." Mulder and Dana turned to see the nurse that had given the phone to Mulder. "My shift ends in a few minutes and I have a car. I could drive you wherever you need," she offered.  
  
Dana stared at her for a minute as if she had never seen a human being before. Snapping out of it she shook her head slightly and said, "I uh... sure. Thank you."  
  
The nurse smiled and held out a hand. "My name is Cheri Huston."  
  
"I'm Dana Williams and this is my, er, this is Fox Mulder," Dana said, shaking Cheri's hand.  
  
"Just give me a second to get my coat and we can go, alright?"  
  
"Ok."  
  
::Williams residence, 3:30pm::  
  
Not much was left of the once grand house on Birch Lane. The charred remains were a mere skeleton of what once held many memories. The fire chief led Dana and Mulder through what they deemed the "safe" part of the wreckage. Dana looked over to her side and recognized objects from her bedroom on the ground. The entire second floor had caved into the first. She stopped for a moment and picked up a scorched photograph of her and Josh on their wedding day. Cradling it to her chest, she looked to the sky, now visible through what used to be the roof, and closed her eyes.  
  
Mulder noticed she was no longer behind him and turned around, watching her clutch the picture to her chest and considered going over to stand next to her, but decided against it. He let her have a moment's peace to herself and followed the chief again. He led him to a wall that was miraculously still standing. The dial to a small safe was protruding from it and he thought how it was a miracle it wasn't melted.  
  
Dana walked up and stood in front of the safe and took a deep breath before turning the dial expertly, confidently. She pulled and the door popped open, revealing several papers and folders as well as a small box. Puzzled, she grabbed the box and opened it, revealing a single key.  
  
"What is it?" asked Mulder.  
  
She looked up at him, her brow furrowed with small worry lines dancing across her face. "It's a safety deposit key, but Josh and I never had one."  
  
**************  
  
Yeah! I am back in business baby. Thank you thank you Gothic Spook! You helped me get my writing shoes back on. I might have this sucker nailed down by New Years if y'all are nice and review! 


	12. If I Die Before You Do

"Here you go Mrs. Williams." The young woman handed Dana the safety deposit box and left the small room in the bank. Mulder stood behind her and looked over the top of her head.  
  
"If you want me to leave I will," he said, touching her shoulder briefly.  
  
"No, Mulder. Don't go." She reached up and held his hand in place. He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly as she took a deep breath and opened the box. Inside was a single video cassette and another key with the number 3324 on it. Puzzled Dana lifted the video up and looked at the label, reading it aloud.  
  
"Donabat Amor. That's Latin," she said, looking up at Mulder.  
  
"What does it mean?"  
  
"I don't know. Josh taught Latin at the local high school, but he never got a chance to teach me very much of it. He said he'd try to show me some phrases during Christmas break." She bit her bottom lip thoughtfully. The phrase sounded familiar, but she couldn't place what it was.  
  
Mulder walked over to the door, stuck his head out and hollered down the hall, "Can we get a tv and vcr in here?"  
  
::Later::  
  
Dana pushed the play button on the vcr and then sat back in her chair, unsure of what to expect. Josh's smiling face came on the screen.  
  
"Hey Dana. If you're watching this, then I must no longer be living. You don't know how sorry I am that I couldn't complete the journey with you and Ethan. I want to leave you with a little poem I've seen circling the internet for awhile now.  
  
'Of all the friends I've ever met,  
  
You're the one I won't forget.  
  
And if I die  
  
Before you do  
  
I'll go to heaven  
  
And wait for you  
  
I'll give the angels  
  
Back their wings  
  
And risk the loss  
  
Of everything  
  
Just to prove  
  
My friendship is true  
  
I'm thankful to have a friend like you'  
  
"Dana, the key inside the box is to another safety deposit box with my parents' names on it. They left a large sum of money to me when they died last month in the hurricane. I decided to put it aside as emergency money or something you'd be able to live off of if anything happened to me. There's roughly $300,000 in it, use it however you wish."  
  
"Oh my gosh," Dana breathed, putting a hand up to her mouth.  
  
"Before I say good-bye, I wanted to tell you that you have been my shining star in the sky, my rose in the briars, my sun amongst the clouds. I love you Dana, you and Ethan both. Donabat amor is Latin for 'she gave love', and you have Dana, more than you'll ever know." Josh smiled and blew Dana a kiss through the screen before it went black. Mulder and Dana sat staring at the screen for a minute, contemplating what had just happened. The picture faded back in and Josh smirked, saying, "And Dana, Mulder's a great guy. Give him a call." He winked and laughed. "Until we meet again."  
  
The tape ended with a slow pullback from a family picture of Ethan, Dana, and Josh at the park. Blackness slowly overtook it and white text came over it that read, "This video was made on November 8th of this year by Joshua Williams for his wife Dana Williams. This production may not be copied, sold, or otherwise distributed."  
  
The tv and vcr automatically turned themselves off after the tape ended. Dana sat staring down at her ring finger and turning her wedding ring and engagement ring around it slowly, watching the dim light of the room reflect off it. Mulder leaned over and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. A small tear trickled down her cheek and she wiped it away with the back of her hand, sniffling.  
  
"You gonna be ok?" Mulder asked softly.  
  
"Yeah. I am."  
  
*************  
  
If the Latin is wrong I apologize! I'm relying on my younger sister for translations, and she's only been taking it for about three months, so forgive any lingual errors please! One more chapter and then this story with officially be completed. Yay. I may not have all of it up by New Years, but I'll do my best. Thanks for all the reviews guys. It really does brighten up my day. :) 


	13. Godspeed

When you got right down to it, it wasn't the pale blue flowers lying limply beside the gray marble headstone or the familiar name etched into the cold stone that broke her heart. It wasn't the bitter cold that seemed to steal the very warmth from her soul or the few lingering snowflakes blowing in the wind that seemed to drain the light from her eyes. It was the fact that she would never see him again that tried to rip her from reality.  
  
At least that was how she had felt at the funeral two days ago. Dana looked down at the headstone and read inscription again.  
  
Joshua A. Williams  
  
1960-1998  
  
He Gave Them Love  
  
She smiled as her son reached up and swatted at her face. Gently she pulled Ethan's hand down and tickled him, drawing a smile and happy noises from his mouth. His first smile.  
  
Mulder came up behind her and placed some flowers down next to the blue ones. He stood up and said, "How is he?"  
  
"He's doing much better. The doctor discharged him this morning." She looked up at Mulder and saw him looking down at her thoughtfully. "What?"  
  
"Nothing," he said, shaking his head. "It's nothing."  
  
"My mother is letting me stay with her until I can find an apartment somewhere, decide what I'm going to do. Oh no Ethan, don't do that to Mulder's tie!" The baby had grabbed his tie and stuffed it in his mouth, jabbering away.  
  
Mulder gave a little laugh and eased the soggy material out of Ethan's toothless mouth. "Sorry Tiger, not my good alien tie."  
  
Dana smiled before her face took on a look of concern. "Mulder, where are you staying?"  
  
"The Lone Gunmen have offered me their couch until my apartment is either fixed or I get a new one, whichever comes first." He was still looking down at the tiring child in her arms, watching his face scrunch up as he yawned.  
  
She looked at him and then looked down at the headstone. The wind blew harder and more snow began falling as Josh's laughter seemed to echo in the nearly empty cemetery. "Mulder, why don't you stay with us?" She raised her eyes up to meet his.  
  
"No, Scully - Dana. I couldn't."  
  
"Mom's got two guest bedrooms and I'm sure she'd love to see you again." Dana put a hand on his forearm. "I'd like to see you again."  
  
Ethan made little popping noises with his mouth and grabbed Mulder's tie again, tugging on it until he finally took it off and handed it to him. Content, Ethan yawned and closed his eyes, snuggling deeper into his mother's arms.  
  
"What can I say? The kid's got my tie. I guess I'll have to come stay, at least for a little while."  
  
Dana smiled up at him as he grinned and put his arm around her shoulders and guided her out of the cemetery. "Ok but there are a few rules. Number One: No chasing after little green men until you get your own apartment."  
  
"They're gray."  
  
"Number Two: If any of those video tapes that aren't yours survived the tree incident they are not to come into the house."  
  
"They're still gray."  
  
"Number Three: You live there, you have diaper duty."  
  
"Is it too late to check in at a Motel 6?"  
  
"Mulder!"  
  
"Just kidding. Sounds great."  
  
"I thought you'd approve. Come on, let's go home Mulder."  
  
"As you wish."  
  
::Somewhere Up There ^ ::  
  
"Ten bucks they'll get married in a year," Josh said.  
  
"I'll take that bet," said Melissa Scully.  
  
"Twenty says they'll have three kids by the millennium," William Scully said.  
  
"I'll raise you ten and say they'll have four," William Mulder chipped in.  
  
"We'll raise you all a hundred and say they'll live happily ever after," Samantha Mulder and Emily said.  
  
"The bets are in. Mulder and Dana take it from here now," Josh said, looking down on the two people he loved most ride away into the sunset with the beginnings of new life ahead of them.  
  
"Godspeed."  
  
**********  
  
OH MY GOSH I FINISHED IT!!!!! I can't believe it's actually done. ::sob:: I didn't think I'd actually complete my first chapter X-File story, but I did. Yayness.  
  
Special thanks to: my little sis Beth who helped me with the Latin and stayed up many a night allowing me to bounce stories off her and for listening to my insane ramblings, to all my faithful reviewers (YOU GUYS ROCK!), my parents for allowing me this obsession that has taken over my life, and my grandparents for letting me tie up the phone line while I'm visiting so I could download these last few chapters onto ff.net. Thank you all!  
  
I hope you enjoyed this, I know I loved writing it. Until next time... Bye! 


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